A three-dimensional image-capturing device comprises R, G, and B light sources, a CCD, a light-source control processor, a CCD drive circuit, and a distance-information sensing processor. Each of the RGB light sources radiates pulse modulated R, G, and B distance-measurement light beams to a measurement subject. The R, G, and B color filtered pixels of the CCD senses RGB light beams. The RGB light sources are controlled to emit the B, G, and R distance-measurement light beams successively and continuously. The CCD drive circuit controls the CCD to accumulate electric charges of the reflected light beams in a predetermined accumulation period, so that the at least one of RGB distance-measurement light beams is sensed by the CCD. The distance-information sensing processor calculates distance information of the measurement subject by using electric charges accumulated in RGB pixels which are adjacently arranged.
Legal claims defining the scope of protection, as filed with the USPTO.
1. A three-dimensional image-capturing device, comprising: a first light source that radiates a pulse-modulated first distance-measurement light beam of a first wavelength to a measurement subject; a second light source that radiates a pulse-modulated second distance-measurement light beam of a second wavelength to said measurement subject; a two-dimensional imaging device that comprises a first pixel which is able to sense light in a first band including said first wavelength and accumulates a corresponding amount of electric charge, and a second pixel which is able to sense light in a second band including said second wavelength and accumulates a corresponding amount of electric charge; a first light-source control processor that drives said first and second light sources, so that an emission of said second distance-measurement light beam starts after a start and before an end of an emission of said first distance-measurement light beam; a first imaging-device control processor that controls said two-dimensional imaging device to accumulate electric charges due to said first and second distance-measurement light beams in at least one of said first and second pixel within a predetermined first accumulation period; and a distance-information sensing processor that detects at least one reflected light beam of said first and second distance-measurement light beams reflected from said measurement subject within said first accumulation period, and calculates distance information of said measurement subject by using electric charges accumulated in a set of said first and second pixels, which are adjacently arranged.
2. A device according to claim 1 , wherein said predetermined first accumulation period is longer than or equal to the pulse width of either of said first and second distance-measurement light beam.
3. A device according to claim 1 , wherein said first accumulation period starts after an end of said emission of said second distance-measurement light beam.
4. A device according to claim 1 , wherein said first band corresponds to one of red, green, and blue color bands and said second band corresponds to one of the other two remaining color bands.
5. A device according to claim 1 , wherein said first wavelength corresponds to one of red, green, and blue color bands and said second wavelength corresponds to one of the other two remaining color bands.
6. A device according to claim 1 , wherein light is selectively filtered by color filters so that said first and second bands are obtained.
7. A device according to claim 1 , wherein pulse widths of said first and second distance-measurement light beams and said duration of said predetermined accumulation period are substantially the same.
8. A device according to claim 1 , further comprising: a second light-source control processor that drives said first and second light sources, so that said first and second distance-measurement light beams are emitted simultaneously; a second imaging-device control processor that controls said two-dimensional imaging device to accumulate electric charges due to all of the reflected light beams of said first and second distance-measurement light beams in both of said first and second pixels within a predetermined second accumulation period; and a reflectance-information sensing processor that detects both of said electric charges due to all of said reflected light beams of said first and second distance-measurement light beams within said second accumulation period as reflectance information, so that said distance information is normalized by said reflectance information.
9. A device according to claim 1 , further comprising: a third light source that radiates a pulse-modulated third distance-measurement light beam of a third wavelength to a measurement subject; said two-dimensional imaging device comprises a third pixel which is able to sense light in a third band including said third wavelength and accumulates a corresponding amount of electric charge; said first light-source control processor radiates said third distance-measurement light beam after the start and before the end of said emission of said second distance-measurement light beam; said first imaging-device control processor carries out electric charge accumulation of said third pixel within said accumulation period; said distance-information sensing processor detects at least one reflected light beam of said first, second, and third distance-measurement light beams reflected from said measurement subject within said accumulation period, and calculates distance information of said measurement subject by using electric charges accumulated in a set of said first, second, and third pixels which are adjacently arranged.
10. A device according to claim 9 , wherein said predetermined accumulation period is longer than or equal to the pulse width of either said first, second, and third distance-measurement light beams.
11. A device according to claim 9 , wherein said accumulation period starts after an end of said emission of said third distance-measurement light beam.
12. A device according to claim 9 , wherein said first bands corresponds to one of red, green, and blue color bands, said second band corresponds to one of the other two remaining color bands, and said third band corresponds to the remaining color band.
13. A device according to claim 9 , wherein said first wavelength corresponds to one of red, green, and blue color bands, said second wavelength corresponds to one of the other two remaining color bands, and said third wavelength corresponds to the remaining color band.
14. A device according to claim 9 , further comprising: a second light-source control processor that drives said first, second, and third light sources, so that said first, second, and third distance-measurement light beams are emitted simultaneously; a second imaging-device control processor that controls said two-dimensional imaging device to accumulate electric charges due to all of the reflected light beams of said first, second, and third distance-measurement light beams in all of said first, second, and third pixels within a predetermined second accumulation period; and a reflectance-information sensing processor that detects all of said electric charges due to all of said reflected light beams of said first, second, and third distance-measurement light beams within said second accumulation period as reflectance information, so that said distance information is normalized by said reflectance information.
15. A three-dimensional image-capturing device, comprising: a first light source that radiates a pulse-modulated first distance-measurement light beam of a first wavelength to a measurement subject; a second light source that radiates a pulse-modulated second distance-measurement light beam of a second wavelength to said measurement subject; a two-dimensional imaging device that comprises a first pixel which is able to sense light in a first band including said first wavelength and accumulates a corresponding amount of electric charge, and a second pixel which is able to sense light in a second band including said second wavelength and accumulates a corresponding amount of electric charge; a first light-source control processor that drives said first and second light sources, so that an end of an emission of said first distance-measurement light beam and a start of an emission of said second distance-measurement light beam are substantially simultaneous; a first imaging-device control processor that controls said two-dimensional imaging device to accumulate electric charges due to said first and second distance-measurement light beams in at least one of said first and second pixel within a predetermined first accumulation period; and a distance-information sensing processor that detects at least one reflected light beam of said first and second distance-measurement light beams reflected from said measurement subject within said first accumulation period, and calculates distance information of said measurement subject by using electric charges accumulated in a set of said first and second pixels, which are adjacently arranged.
16. A three-dimensional image-capturing device, comprising: a first light source that radiates a pulse-modulated first distance-measurement light beam of a first wavelength to a measurement subject; a second light source that radiates a pulse-modulated second distance-measurement light beam of a second wavelength to said measurement subject; a two-dimensional imaging device that comprises a first pixel which is able to sense light in a first band including said first wavelength and accumulates a corresponding amount of electric charge, and a second pixel which is able to sense light in a second band including said second wavelength and accumulates a corresponding amount of electric charge; a first light-source control processor that drives said first and second light sources, so that an emission of said second distance-measurement light beam starts after a start, and before and substantially simultaneous with the end of an emission of said first distance-measurement light beam; a first imaging-device control processor that controls said two-dimensional imaging device to accumulate electric charges due to said first and second distance-measurement light beams in at least one of said first and second pixel within a predetermined first accumulation period; and a distance-information sensing processor that detects at least one reflected light beam of said first and second distance-measurement light beams reflected from said measurement subject within said first accumulation period, and calculates distance information of said measurement subject by using electric charges accumulated in a set of said first and second pixels, which are adjacently arranged.
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April 15, 2002
February 28, 2006
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